Hot-water tank



Feb. 17, 1948. E. RAWSON HOT WATER TANK Filed Nov.. 15, 1945 PatentedFeb. 17, 1948 HOT-WATER TANK Emanuel Rawson, Chicago, 111., assignor toRite- Way Products Company, Chicago, Ill.,a corporation of DelawareApplication November 15, 1945, Serial No. 628,914

This invention relates to portable hot water tanks, particularlyelectrically heated tanks such as are used, by way of example, in dairybarns for supplying hot water for washing and other purposes inconnection with the milking of cows and the maintenance of clean andsanitary con-i ditions of the equipment used.

Electrically heated water tanks of the above mentioned charactergenerally comprise an open top casing having an inner open topcylindrical shell or container in which the water is electricallyheated, and a removable cover for facilitating filling and cleaning ofthe cylindrical container. A faucet adjacent the bottom of the casing isprovided for the withdrawal of the heated water. The container withinwhich the water is contained, and heated, is generally made of metal,and is supported in a suitable manner from the outer casing. It is oneof the objects of the present invention to provide animproved means forsupporting the inner water cylinder from the outer casing. In accordancewith the preferred embodiment of the invention the metal water cylinderis formed with an outwardl extending flange at the top thereof whichflange is caused to rest on a ring or annular plate secured to the topof the outer casing. In order to inhibit the transfer of heat byconduction through the flange to the metal support therefor a heatinsulating material is interposed between the two.

When the tank is reasonably full of hot water there is sufficientconduction of heat along the wall of the metal cylinder that holds thewater so that the top of the outwardly extending flange which supportthe cylinder may become sufiiciently hot to produce an injury to aperson accidentally touching the same. It is one ofthe objects of thepresent invention to prevent such injuryby covering the top of theflange with a heat insulating material so as to avoid the possibility ofa person accidentally touching the hot flange.

It is desirable that a gasket be interposed between the top of the tankopening and a removable cover placed thereon. It is one of the objectsof the present invention to provide a combination wherein the samestructure which heat insulates the flange from its supporting plate willalso heat insulate the top of the flange against accidental contacttherewith and, in addition, will also act as a. gasket for the cover.complished, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, by providing astrip of flexible heat insulating gasketing material which has alength..

3 Claims. (01. 219-38) around the flange with the flange entering theThis is ac-.

Wise extending slot therein and winding said strip 55 slot in theyieldable strip so that the strip embraces both the upper and the lowersurfaces of the flange.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a hotwater tank with a simple heater mounting arrangement wherein the heatermounting means is substantially entirely em-' bedded in the heatinsulating material that en,

case the water cylinder, and the casing is provided with a simple andconvenient means for 0b-.

taining access to the heater attachment for removal of the same.

The attainment of the above and further'objects of thepresen't'invention will be apparent from the following specificationtaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing forming a partthereof.,

In the drawing: 1

Figure l'is atop view ofa hot water tank embodying the presentinvention,with thecover oi the tank removed; Y

Figur 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the tank; and

, Figure 3 i s.an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion ofiFi'gure '2.

Reference may now be had more particularly to the drawing wherein likereference numerals dis ignate like parts throughout.

The hot water tank of the present invention includes a cylindrical bodyI having a central cylindrical opening which is closed by a removablecover 2. The body comprises an outer shell or casing 3 of a generallycylindrical shape and made of any desired, material as, for instance,sheet metal. "Thes'hellhas a bottom 5 which is downwardly flanged aroundits entire periphery, said disc downwardly flanged at its outerperiphery by a flange which snugly embraces and extends entirely aroundthe top of the shell 3 and is welded thereto.

Within the casing 3 there is located a water tank or cylinder l2 made ofany non-corrosive material, preferably metal such as, for instance,copper, Everdure metal, galvanized steel or the like. The cylinder I2 isopen at its top, and at its bottom is closed by a circular disc l3 thatis upwardly flanged-around its periphery, as indi-.

eated at l4, and makes a snug flt around the cylinder I2 and is weldedor otherwise secured thereto in a manner to form a water tight seal atthe bottom of the cylinder I2. The top of the cylinder I 2 has anoutwardly extending flange H: extending around its entire periphery.

A strip 20 of rubber or other suitable flexible heat insulatinggasketing material extends around the flange l5. This strip 20 issubstantially rectangular in cross section and has a slot 2| extendinglengthwise of the strip from one side thereof. The'strip 2D is woundaround the circumference of the flange 15 with the flange entering theslot 2| so that substantially the entire upper and lower surfaces of theflange are embedded within the, strip 20. The flange IS with the strip20 thereon are positioned above the ring i so that the entire weight ofthe water tank or cylinder l2 with its contents is supported by theinner'top surface of the ring it. Apluralltyof circumferentially spacedsheet metal, self-tappingscrews 24 extendlthrough the flange I and arethreaded into and through the ring l0, thus securing the cylinder l2 inplace. The bottom portion 28' of the strip '20 serves as a heat break toinhibit the conduction of heat from the wall of the tank i2 via theflange to the ring Hi. The portion of the strip that overlies the flange1%, namely, the portion 29 of the strip 29, serves two purposes. First,it covers the entire upper surface of the flange l5 so that if apersonshould happen to touch the top of the water tank when the cover isremoved, theperson will notcontact a part of the tank which is so hot asmay injure the person; second, the portion 29 of the strip 20 is to actas a gasket for the cover 2.

Within the cylinder l2, adjacent the bottom thereof, there is located animmersion type electric heating element 35 which is supported at thecenter of the'bottom iii .of the tank [2 as by a copper plated steelfitting 35 which extends through a hole in the bottom i3 and is lockedin place by a steel nut 31, there being acopper asbestos sealing gasket38 surrounding the steel fitting 36 and locatedibetween .the flangethereof and the top surface of the disc l3. A thermostatic switchingmember 4| controls the circuit to the electric immersion heater '35.Thisthermostatic switching member 40 is located on the bottom side ofthe disc l3. A water outlet faucet 48 extends through the shell orcasing 3 and the cylinder l2 at a level'slightly above the level of theheating element so as to provide a reserve water space to protect theheater from burning out. The space between the casing 3 and the cylinderI2 is filled with a suitable heatinsulating material 49.

'The cover 2 comprises a molded circular rubber body which has a filling5| of heat insulating material sealed therein and which has a peripheralflange 52 that rests on the top of the strip 20. A suitable knob 53 isprovided for facilitating lifting andremoval of the cover. The strip 20acts as a gasket between the top of the water containing cylinder 12 andthe cover.

In compliance with the requirements of the patentstatutes I have hereshown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention. It is,however, to be understood'that the invention is not limited to theprecise construction here shown, the same being merely illustrative ofthe principles of the invention. What is considered new and desired tobe secured by Letters Patcut is: I

,1, A hot water tank c'omprising'an inner open aissssi 4 top cylinder,an outer casing within which the cylinder is located, there being aspace between the cylinder and the casing, electric heating means forheating the contents of the cylinder, an outwardly extending flangearound the top of the cylinder, a strip of flexible heat insulatinggasketing material having a lengthwise extending slot therein, saidstrip extending completely around the periphery of said flange with theflange entering the slot so that the strip embraces the upper and thelower surfaces of the flange, said flange being located above said outercasing and supported thereby with the portion of the heating insulatingstrip that is on the under side of the flange serving as a heat break inthe heat conducting path from the flange to the outer casing, theportion of the strip above the flange serving to heat insulate the topof the flange against the danger of injuring a person who mightotherwise touch the flange, and a cover for the cylinder, said coverresting on the portion of the strip above the flange which acts as asealing gasket for the cover.

2. A hot water tank comprising an inner open top cylinder of metal, anouter casing within Y which the cylinder is located, there being a spacebetween the cylinder and the casing, electric heating means for heatingthe contents of the cylinder, a ring secured to the top of the casingand extending towards and substantially up to the cylinder, an outwardlyextending flange around the top of the cylinder, a strip of flexibleheat insulating gasketing material having a lengthwise extending slottherein, said strip extending completely around the periphery of saidflange with the flange entering the slot so, that the strip embraces theupper and lower surfaces of the flange, said flange being located abovevflange which acts as a sealing gasket for the covers 3. A hot water tankcomprising an inner open top cylinder of metal, an outer casing withinwhich the cylinder is located, there being a space between the cylinderand the casing, a filling of heat insulating material in said space,electricv heating means for heating the contents of the cylinder, a ringsecured to the top of the easing and extending towards and substantiallyup to the cylinder, an outwardly extending flange,

sulate the flange from the ring, screw means extending through theflange and through the portion of the strip below the flange andsecuring the cylinder in the ring on the casingbsaid screw means beingcovered by the portion of the strip above the flange which latterportion 1| serves also to cover and thus heat insulate the 2,435,981 5top of the flange against the danger of injuring REFERENCES CITED personwho might otherwise the flange The following references are of record inthe and a cover for the cylinder, said cover resting file of thispatent. on the portion of the strip above the flange which acts as asealing gasket for the cover. 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name DateEMANUEL RAWSON. 2,299,053 Ferris Oct. 13, 1942

